Virginia Travel Guide - Virginia Travel Guide 2026
Hotel Restaurants
2025-11-22 12:32:18
STAY & SAVOR: WHERE FLAVOR MEETS COMFORT
These days, you barely have to leave your hotel room to discover a plate worth writing home about. Across Virginia, places to stay are stepping up with world-class dining experiences led by top chefs and visionary kitchens.
Inside Lynchburg’s Beaux Arts-style grande dame, William & Henry Steakhouse at The Virginian Hotel pairs an upscale ranch aesthetic with prime cuts and swanky cocktails. Dark wood paneling, cowhide banquettes, and a modern vibe make it the kind of place where you’ll want to linger a little longer over your bone-in ribeye.
A meal at Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque isn’t just dinner — it’s a homecoming. Set inside a Pounding Mill dairy barn where every table looks like folk art, this Appalachian staple serves an array of delicious dishes, from brisket and pulled pork to Thai seafood curry and filet satays. Linger in the mountain magic with an overnight in one of the cedar log cabins.
At The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club, Becca Restaurant & Garden redefines coastal sophistication. After an extensive renovation, this 1920s Virginia Beach resort gleams with grandeur, glittering chandeliers and sweeping staircases included. Dine in a dreamy garden courtyard or inside airy, sun-kissed rooms, where the hyper-fresh menus nod to the tides and farms. Pro tip: Start with a garden-to-glass cocktail or mocktail for the full experience.
At The Mill Room inside Charlottesville’s Boar’s Head Resort, hospitality shines through warm hearths, panoramic golf-course views on the outdoor terrace, and a menu brimming with classics like aged steaks, roasted chicken, and toppings-laden salads. It’s upscale but unfussy.
In the foothills of Keswick, Marigold by Jean-Georges is a showstopper. Part of the newly reimagined Keswick Hall, this all-day restaurant brings Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s globally celebrated style to a breezy, farm-driven menu bursting with bright flavors. Nosh on everything from brioche French toast at breakfast to black truffle pizza at dinner.
Tucked away at Glen Gordon Manor in Huntly, Houndstooth Restaurant feels like dining at a private estate — because it is. The former hunting retreat turned bed and breakfast is tucked away on 45 scenic acres amid Virginia’s Wine Country. Each night’s prix-fixe menu is a love letter to the surrounding farms and orchards, with an award-winning wine list that reads like poetry.
At Coton & Rye inside Leesburg’s Lansdowne Resort, enjoy a historic-themed tavern serving Old Dominion recipes with a modern twist. Think flatbread, fish and chips, and burgers made with ingredients from Loudoun County farms. Afterward, stroll the grounds overlooking the Potomac River Valley before returning to your room.
In Warm Springs, Waterwheel Restaurant at The Inn at Gristmill Square makes farm-to-table dining delightfully historic. Set inside a charming 19th-century mill, this cozy spot serves up seasonal, locally sourced dishes — house-baked focaccia, handmade pasta, and shrimp and grits — with an atmosphere so timeless you half-expect a carriage to be waiting outside.
At Hickory inside Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards in Bristol, James Beard-nominated Chef Travis Milton crafts Appalachian-inspired dishes with heirloom ingredients and storytelling soul. Sip award-winning estate wines and taste a region’s culinary roots reinvented: cornbread, fire-roasted vegetables, dry-aged steaks, and crispy catfish and chips.
With suites named after Aesop fables and thoughtful touches from storybook decor to luxe bath amenities, Staunton’s newest darling, Maude & the Bear, is a 1926 Montgomery Ward kit house turned bed and breakfast. Allow Chef Ian Boden, a James Beard Award nominee, to bring whimsy to your table during a multi-course tasting menu inspired by his rural upbringing and beloved travels.
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